Sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe has pledged to maintain current levels of public funding for the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), despite recent criticism of its performance.

According to the BBC, Sutcliffe insisted the national governing body will continue to benefit from £26m Lottery and Exchequer investment through Sport England between 2009-2013. Great Britain's loss to Lithuania in February's Davis Cup match prompted the All-Party Tennis Group to criticise the LTA for not getting the most out of its annual expenditure.

Sutcliffe told the BBC: "More than £26m of public money is being invested into the sport's grassroots and we want to see a good return from that funding. "But I have confidence in Sport England holding the LTA to account on this, as they do with all other sports that receive public funding."